The Most GENIUS Number Bars in Rap History

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Dissect – "The Most GENIUS Number Bars in Rap History"

Host: Cole Cuchna (The Ringer)

Release Date: November 18, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this densely analytical episode, host Cole Cuchna dives into the ingenious ways rappers have woven numbers and mathematics into their lyrics—from foundational artists like Rakim and Melly Mel to modern titans like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Lupe Fiasco. The episode unpacks how numbers aren’t just embellishments; they serve as metaphors, narrative tools, and secret frameworks that showcase the technical brilliance and layered meaning behind some of rap’s most memorable verses.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rakim & The Birth of Mathematical Lyricism

• Rakim sets the standard:
  Rakim's legendary quatrain from 1986 ("I take seven MCs...") is highlighted as the blueprint for numeric wordplay in hip hop.

  "Rakim lines up three groups of seven MCs across three bars, then annihilates them all with a 21 MC punchline in bar four." [01:11]

• Hidden mathematics:
  Rakim’s real name—three names, seven letters each, totaling 21—mirrors the number of MCs in his verse.

2. Numeric Storytelling Evolves: Malice, Melly Mel, and Early Trends

• Malice's coded true crime (Clipse):
  Malice encodes a phone-number sequence in his verse, adding up to "48," which sets up the final line referencing the show "First 48."

  "Add these numbers up and you get 48. Why 48? Because it sets up the final number in the verse's final line." [02:24]

• Melly Mel’s seven-step ascension:
  Early use of numbers was often straightforward, such as roll calls or crew counts, but Melly Mel made it a symbolic ascent.

3. The Golden Era: Jay-Z, Biggie, Organized Konfusion, Mos Def & Foxy Brown

• Jay-Z’s numeric masterpieces:
  "22 Two’s" and its sequel, "44 Fours," are praised for their intricate repetition of the word "two" and the deeper message encoded within:

  "The wordplay revolves around time. Jay saying the bond his community shares is timeless, so it can never be too late." [05:19]

• Biggie’s “Ten Crack Commandments”:
  A lesson structured around the rules of the drug game, each numbered for emphasis.
• Organized Konfusion & Mos Def (“Mathematics”):
  Mos Def’s track audits America through numbers, statistics, and equations to expose injustice.

  "I got 16 to 32 bars to rocket but only 15% of profits ever seen my pockets... 16 ounces to a pound, 20 more to a key..." [07:21]

• Foxy Brown’s infamous math:
  Technical, albeit questionable, cocaine math on Nas’s "Affirmative Action."

4. Modern Numeric Artistry & Complex Schemes

Numeric Sequences in Structure

• El-P’s “The Last Huzzah” (2011):
  Sequential numerical build in each line, clever omission of “13” in the count (skips unlucky number), creative puns (e.g. “LL vent” = 11).

  "...after number 7 LP continues the ascending count in more creative ways... LL vent is a homophone for 11." [09:58]

• Kendrick Lamar on Beyoncé’s “Freedom”:
  Starts with a direct countdown in words, then shifts to a countdown in syllables after five:

  "As he nears the end of the verse, he begins two lines with the two syllable word open... Finally, the last line of the verse begins with a one syllable word. I pray it forever reads." [12:47]

Hidden & Thematic Numeric References

• Lupe Fiasco on Kanye’s “Touch the Sky”: Hidden 3-2-1 countdown in 16 bars, tied thematically to a rocket launch (touching the sky):

  "With the three firmly established... the two concealed midway... the countdown is then completed at its end when Lupe says this, the first in so I represent the first, completes the verse long 3 2 1 countdown." [16:05]

• Athlete Number Wordplay:
  • Big Sean: References Michael Jordan’s jersey numbers to create a 1-2-3-4-5 sequence. [19:09]

    "If I lose one, I bounce back like two, three did with four fives."

  • JID & Vince Staples:
    JID references Jordan’s championship years; Vince uses Kobe’s jersey numbers (24, 8), sum as Glock 32, including rival Ginobili’s 20.

Kobe Tributes in Modern Rap

• Kendrick Lamar on “Peekaboo”:
  80 pointers in his chain, a nod to Kobe’s 81-point game, further referencing Kobe’s game stats (7 threes, 6 assists, 2 rebounds = 7-6-2). [22:05]
• J. Cole on “The Climb Back”:
  Masterfully weaves seven, eight, two, and four into lines to encode Kobe's birth year, career numbers, and position.

  "If we combine the two and four in the basketball analogy, we get 24, the number Kobe Bryant wore..." [23:26]

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Highlighted Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rakim’s Influence:

  "Rakim's now iconic quatrain kickstarted a hip hop staple, using numbers as a lyrical device to showcase an MC's mastery of language." [01:20]

• On Jay-Z’s Layered Wordplay:

  "Too much black and too much love equal forever. This kind of layered wordplay, coupled with its inventive numerical framework, cemented 22 Twos as a hip hop landmark." [05:19]

• On LP’s skip of the number 13:

  "This line should have contained the number 13, but LP skips it, just like hotels superstitiously skip the 13th floor because it's bad luck." [10:12]

• On Kendrick’s “Freedom” Syllable Countdown:

  "He actually continues it not with numbers but with syllables...I pray it forever reads. Now the cherry on top is that Kendrick actually omits the obvious final word of this line...his way to execute 0 syllables." [12:47]

• On Kendrick’s “Nostalgia” Verse:

  "...three nines equals 27 and six tens equals 60. Add 27 and 60 together and we get 87. Why 87? ...Kendrick shouts out his birth year." [28:26]

• On the “Nostalgia” structure:

  "The song is 3 minutes and 36 seconds long...The song’s two halves are exactly the same length. ...Pusha's half ...contains exactly 36 bars, which means Kendrick's ... also contains exactly 36 bars. The same number of ounces equivalent to a kilo of cocaine. Literally every verse is a brick." [31:55]

• Ultimate Praise:

  “For my money, it’s the most impressive entry in hip hop’s long and storied tradition of using numbers in rhyme.” [32:04]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Insight | |:-----------|:--------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:54-01:11| Rakim’s 21 MCs and math as musical signature | | 02:24 | Malice’s numeric true crime barcode sets up “First 48” | | 05:09-05:19| Jay-Z’s too/to/two wordplay and message on “22 Two’s” | | 07:21 | Mos Def’s “Mathematics” – statistical audit of America | | 09:58 | LP’s skip of the unlucky 13 | | 11:14-12:47| Kendrick’s “Freedom” – countdown in words then syllables | | 15:31-16:05| Lupe’s hidden 3-2-1 countdown (“Touch the Sky”) | | 19:09-19:15| Big Sean’s 1-2-3-4-5 sequence via Jordan’s jersey numbers | | 20:40-20:55| Vince Staples’ Glock 32/Kobe Ginobili sequence | | 22:05 | Kendrick’s 81-point/762 wordplay on “Peekaboo” | | 23:07-23:26| J. Cole’s Kobe tribute in numeric wordplay (“The Climb Back”) | | 26:12-27:46| Mike P’s real-time battle rap numeric punchlines | | 28:26-32:04| Kendrick’s “Nostalgia” – birth year and kilo as math |

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains Cole Cuchna's signature mix of meticulous analysis, deft storytelling, and infectious enthusiasm for technical artistry in hip hop. Notably, Cole uses plain language when breaking down dense references, always circling back to the thematic significance—why the numbers matter, not just how they fit.

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Conclusion

This episode of "Dissect" showcases how numbers in rap function far beyond simple flexes or roll calls. They become metaphors, double entendres, coded shoutouts, and intricate frameworks for poetic storytelling. Whether it’s Rakim’s revolutionary quatrain, Kendrick’s “Nostalgia” algebra, or J. Cole’s tributes to Kobe, the math behind the bars is not just for show—it’s genius at work.

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For Further Listening

If you want to hear these masterful numeric bars in context, check out the tracks:

• Eric B. & Rakim – “My Melody”
• Jay-Z – “22 Two’s” / “44 Fours”
• The Notorious B.I.G. – “Ten Crack Commandments”
• Mos Def – “Mathematics”
• Kanye West ft. Lupe Fiasco – “Touch the Sky”
• Kendrick Lamar ft. Pusha T – “Nostalgia”
• J. Cole – “The Climb Back”

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Transcript

[A]

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[A]

In 1986, 18 year old Rakim rapped one of the most influential verses in hip hop history.

[B]

I take seven MCs, put them in the line and add seven more brothers who think they can rhyme well. It'll take seven more before I go for mine. Now that's 21 MCs ate up at the same time.

[A]

Rakim lines up three groups of seven MCs across three bars, then annihilates them all with a 21 MC punchline in bar four. But what most people miss is that the math actually doubles as a musical signature. Rakim's government name is William Michael Griffin. Three names, seven letters each, 21 in all, one for each MC he destroys. Rakim's now iconic quatrain kickstarted a hip hop staple, using numbers as a lyrical device to showcase an MC's mastery of language. Fast forward nearly four decades later and you have rappers like Malice doing stuff like this.

[B]

Go get a Glock 27. Fit snug in the waistline. Both sticks came with the drum. How was five six shoulder with a chip?

[A]

Malice tells his true crime origin story in the streets of Virginia Beach. Weaving in a string of numbers. A Glock 27. His 56 height, powerlifting, 2.2 pounds or a kilo of cocaine and more. Eight bars in the verse contain a number and when you extract each digit from the first seven bars, you get 227-56-222-1399. Add these numbers up and you get 48. Why 48? Because it sets up the final number in the verse's final line.

[B]

My story gon hit the first 48, then it's on date line Cause this.

[A]

Really shit I Done the First 48 is a true crime TV series. So similar to Rakim's 7 MCs, the numbers weaved throughout Malice's own true crime story are an extended setup for the verse's masterful final punchline. Hi, I'm Cole Kushna. And on today's episode of Dissect, we're breaking down some of the most impressive numeric wordplay in hip hop history. From Kendrick Lamar to Lupe Fiasco, J. Cole, Jid and more. But before these modern rappers can innovate, they studied the architects like Rakim, who laid the groundwork. And that story begins in the 1970s. This is Melly Mel's verse. On Grandmaster Flash's Furious 5 debut single, Super Rappin Mel sets up an ascending seven count, declaring he's a step above his competition because he's climbing the ladder of success. So the seven count itself becomes a symbol of that upward ascension. But rap it like hell. Make it sound like heaven takes it one step further, as the number seven is commonly associated with heaven. And the classic image of a stairway to heaven often features seven steps. Like Rakim, Melimel was lyrically ahead of his time because in these early days of hip hop, the use of numbers was usually more straightforward. For instance, you had the roll call shouting out the number of members in your crew, introducing the crew you gotta.

[B]

See to believe we're 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 MCs three of us but we're not the Beatles.

[A]

So yeah, technically there are four Beatles, not three But Run is a legend, so he gets a pass. Now, another early numerical trend was variations of the countin the ascending four count bandleaders use to kick off a song. By the mid-90s, these simple four counts and roll calls evolved into increasingly complex numerical schemes. A watershed moment came in 96, when Jay Z released the track 22 Twos.

[B]

Too Much west coast dick licking and too many niggas on a mission Doing your best JC rendition. Too many rough motherfuckers I got suspicions that you're just fishing a pool of.

[A]

Sharks Listen, a play on a.22 caliber gun.22 twos contains a 16 bar verse in which Jay says two either t o t o o or the number two exactly 22 times. It's a lyrical exercise that highlights itself and by extension, Jay's skill. But the track stands out because it's more than a mere gimmick. The verse delivers a sharp message and nuanced wordplay. In addition to the numbers I've been.

[B]

Around this block too many times Rock too many rhymes Cop too many nines too my brothers it ain't too late to come together Cause too much black and too much love equal forever Jay.

[A]

Says it's not too late for his community to come together, rapping that too much black and too much love equal forever. The wordplay revolves around time, Jay saying the bond his community shares is timeless, so it can never be too late. But notice how too much black and too much love can also be heard as the numbers two, while the four and forever doubles as the number four. Get it? Two and two equals forever. This kind of layered wordplay, coupled with its inventive numerical framework, cemented 222s as a hip hop landmark. The track even warranted an official sequel, 44 Fours, which Jay debuted at Reasonable Doubt's 10th anniversary show.

[B]

Rockefeller Forever hold for Life first debut classic first album for mics I should have got a father Niggas like for sight But I don't give a fuck I ain't do it for the hype.

[A]

22 2's was the first of a handful of numeric bass classics released in the mid to late 90s. The most well known of this era is Biggie's 97 hit 10 Crack Commandments, which, like 22Two's turns the song's technical constraint into a lyrical showcase.

[B]

Number four know you heard this before Never get high on your own supply Number five Never sell no crack where you rest at I don't care if they want to ounce tell them bounce.

[A]

1997 also saw the release of a lesser known but equally impressive track called Numbers by Organized Confusion. It's here Prince Poe and Pharaoh Monch include a number in nearly every line.

[B]

Extra deep running with the number 13 with my 40 belows upon the feet now Adam 12 got me in his.

[A]

20 in 1999 Yasin Bey FKA most def upped the numeric bar with Mathematics, a track that audits America through statistics and equations to expose its many injustices against black Americans.

[B]

It's a number game, but shit don't add up somehow like I got 16 to 32 balls to rocket but only 15% of profits ever seen my pockets like 69 billion in the last 20 years spent on national defense before folks still living fear life nearly half of America's largest cities is 1/4 black. That's why they gave Ricky Ross all the crack. 16 ounces to a pound, 20 more to a key of five minutes sitting searing and you no longer freeze.

[A]

Finally, while not a full song, no list of number based lyrics from the 90s would be complete without mentioning Foxy Brown's feature on Nas's track Affirmative Action. The verse is infamous for its technical breakdown of buying, cutting and selling cocaine, which may or may not contain some faulty math keys is one or two.

[B]

Fips on how we flip 32 grams raw chop and a half you16 double it times three we got 48 which mean a whole lot of cream Divide the profit by 4 subtracted by 8 we back to 16 now add the other 2 that mega bring it through.

[A]

By the turn of the century, these canonical tracks had cemented math and numbers as a part of the MC's toolkit, a tradition that continues to thrive today. One of the more common practices is structuring entire verses around ascending or descending numeric sequences.

[B]

1 2, 33 Riding through the city with they scrap on four at the gas station on the trap on five o' clock traffic on the block they in the mix but the plot twist is done Made it out to six seven in the morning off a boulder pressing flashos put a one on it through the Teslas out at noon one o' clock fiends coming back like nigga give me two PlayStation 3 sir and knocks at the dope fiends no I got nick steady coming up with both five OT575 jeans and a spot serving Rocket three shots of Sterno Wick stuck in a bottle EMP rocks to the target we lit it and L they're hard to century pigs of the oinking variety guard a market entry minutes of flames and an aim to whistle my father let me six o' clock meet up and divvy the shells among the young in seven continents in a shit and smoke like it's London.

[A]

This Last example is LP's verse on the 2011 posse cut the Last Huzzah where LP weaves a sequential count into a verse Long tale of staging an attack on an unnamed symbol of American capitalism. In the first half we just heard, each line begins with a number. However, after number 7 LP continues the ascending count in more creative ways.

[B]

Before they ate up the funds of Harmony, Love was bumping. Now government issue nines are pointed where your blood is pumped in. Turn them off of these muttering zombie talker pieces elevating you harder than Fukushima breezes. In the end with a dozen or so adjourner reason you find a verdict return corrupted and murderous seasons would have murdered 31s and other unlucky omens that's why I chucked 7 and 7 till I'm fucking homeless here.

[A]

LP gets especially clever with the numbers 11 through 14. He raps LL vent on you harder than Fukushima breezes. LL vent is short for LP will vent, meaning he'll unleash a verbal assault more deadly than the radiation winds from the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown. But also notice how ll vent is a homophone for 11. He then describes being put on trial by 12 or a dozen jurors who turn in a faulty verdict. Interestingly, you'll find the verdict return Corrupted in Murderous Seasons is the first bar without a number since the count started. This line should have contained the number 13, but LP skips it, just like hotels superstitiously skip the 13th floor because it's bad luck. This is acknowledged directly in the following line, when LP only alludes to 13, saying with inverted 31s and other unlucky omens. An inverted 31 is a clever reference to 13 without actually having to say it. LP then describes himself chugging Seven and Sevens, a cocktail made with Seagram Seven whiskey and Seven up soda. And of course, Seven and Seven equals the next number in the count. 14. In 2016, Kendrick Lamar took a somewhat similar approach to LPs with his feature on Beyonce's Freedom. Like LP, Kendrick starts with a straightforward count, beginning each line with a number.

[B]

10 Hail Marys I meditate for practice Channel 9 News tell me I'm moving backwards 8 Blacks left deafest around the corner 7 Misleading statements about my Persona 6 Headlights waving in my direction.

[A]

Kendrick paints a portrait of life as a black American. 10 Hail Marys I meditate for Practice refers to the Mysteries of the Rosary, which are meditations on the lives of Jesus and Mary, prayed in sets of 10 hail marys. Channel 9 news tell me I'm Moving backwards calls out stations like Fox News who have specifically criticized Kendrick's approach to change. Eight blocks left Death Is around the Corner describes the dangers of growing up in places like Compton, where a simple walk home puts your life at risk, be it via gang violence or police violence. Seven Misleading Statements About My Persona continues Kendrick's critique of media slander, while six Headlights wave in in my direction. Five o asking me what's in my possession describes police harassment, six Headlights refers to the six lights atop a police car, and five O is slang for cops. But after five, Kendrick's countdown appears to stop, as there are no more direct references to numbers. Why would Kendrick suddenly stop the count? Well, he doesn't. He actually continues it not with numbers but with syllables.

[B]

Yeah I keep running jumping the aqueducts, fire hydrants and hazardous smoke alarms on the back of us but mama don't cry for me rap for me, trap for me live for me, breathe for me sing for me Honestly got in me I can be more than I gotta be Stole from Elijah me nation hypocrisy cold on me driving me wicked My spirit inspired me like yeah after.

[A]

Five, Kendrick moves to a string of lines structured around four syllable phrases. I keep runnin fire hydrants and hazardous. He then moves to a number of three syllable phrases. Ride for me, try for me, live for me, breathe for me, sing for me and so on. As he nears the end of the verse, he begins two lines with the two syllable word open. Open our minds as we cast away oppression. Open the streets and watch our beliefs. Finally, the last line of the verse begins with a one syllable word. I pray it forever reads. Now the cherry on top is that Kendrick actually omits the obvious final word of this line as it's clearly set up to say I pray it forever reads Freedom. We might wonder if this missing last word is Kendrick's equivalent to the number 0, his way to execute 0 syllables completing this masterful 100 countdown.

[B]

Open correctional gates in high desert Open our mind as we cast away oppression Open the streets and watch our beliefs and when they carve my name inside the concrete I pray it forever.

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

Take on a countdown reminds me of another even more hidden count in Lupe Fiasco's feature on Kanye West's Touch the Sky. It's here that Lupe conceals a 3 to 1 countdown across the entirety of his 16 bar verse.

[B]

Yes, yes, yes. Guess who's on third. Lupe still like Lupin.

[A]

The third verses first line establishes the three in this 3 to 1 countdown, Lupe repeats yes three times before asking Guess who's on third, calling attention to the fact that he's on the third verse of this song. Guess who's on third is also a reference to the classic Abbott and Costello comedy routine who's on first?

[B]

What is the fella's name on third base? What is the fella's name on second? Maze, I'm not asking you who's on second. Who's on first? I. I don't know. Third base.

[A]

This baseball reference extends into the next line, Lupe Steel. Like Lupin iii, he's claiming to steal the show or a song with this spectacular verse, but it's also a play on a baseball player stealing a bass. Cleverly, he refers to himself in third person, but also pronounces Lupe Steel to sound like Lou Bass Steal, strengthening the baseball motif. Meanwhile, Lupin III is a reference to the famous anime thief who steals National Treasures. But notice how Lupin the third also sounds like looping the third, as in rounding third bass toward home plate. With the three firmly established here at the start of the verse, the hidden countdown continues midway through when Lupe says. Lupe begins this passage with a triple entendre, I'm trying to stop lying like I'm Mumm Ra. The surface meaning is that Lupe's trying to stop lying or be more honest, but he expresses this with wordplay based on the 80s cartoon Thundercats, which featured a hero named Lion O and a villain named Mum Ra. So lying is also a homophone for lion, as in Lion O who Mum Ra attempts to stop. The third layer is a deep cut for Thundercat fans because they'd know that Mum Ra literally spent most of his time lying in a sarcophagus. Lupe then continues But I'm not lying when I'm lying on the beat on guard, Lupe only speaks facts when lying or rapping on a track. En garde is used as a homophone for en g D, an expression that means you're not lying. En garde itself is a French phrase used in fencing, said before engaging in a match. This leads to Lupe saying touche, another French term that has its origins in fencing, used to concede that your opponent struck you. But touche also contains a homophone for the number two, and Lupe even holds up two fingers in the music video to ensure we caught the wordplay. Now, with the three established at the start of the verse, the two concealed midway, the countdown is then completed at its end when Lupe says this, The first in so I represent the first completes the verse long three to one countdown. But notice how short this line is compared to the others. That's because he should have said I represent the 1st and the 15th, the name of Lupe's independent record label. Why not say 15th? Well, he didn't have to, because this just so happens to be the 15th bar of his verse. Now, the longplay 3, 2, 1 countdown is a clever novelty, but there's actually a thematic reason Lupe did it, because the song Touch the Sky is all about touching the sky. And in the music video, that happens via a rocket ship. And what happens just before a rocket blasts into the sky? A three, two, one countdown. Now, outside of ascending or descending counts, another common use of numbers and rap lyrics is referencing athletes by their jersey numbers. Like when Big Sean rapped this in 2017.

[B]

If I lose one, I bounce back like two, three did with four fives. In courtrooms and court size ain't When.

[A]

Michael Jordan came back from his first retirement in 1995, he switched from the number 23 to 45. Big Sean recognizes the ascending 2, 3, 4, 5 in these jersey numbers. So he begins the bar saying, when I lose one, completing a concise one to five sequence in a single bar. Rapper Jid executes a somewhat similar flip in his song Lisa, where he plays off the classic mic check 1, 2. To kick off an extended Michael Jordan reference.

[B]

1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2,. Before three. Like 2, 3. Winning his third and nine, two that nine three season crown, the new king, the kid came and proceeded no here.

[A]

That 9, 2, 9 three season nods to the year the Bulls completed their first championship three peat, cementing Jordan as the new king. So the previous one, two before three nods not only to the first and second championships before winning his third in 93, but also to the years that they were won 91 and 92. But also notice how one is a homophone for one, as in he won two championships before winning three. Even more impressive is the fact that if you add these numbers up 1 plus 2 plus 1 plus 2 plus 3 you get nine completing the 919293 championship years. Equally impressive is Vince Staples feature on Earl Sweatshirt's record the Caliphate where the Long beach native plays with the jersey numbers of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

[B]

You know you know me glass 30 too I shoot like both the Kobes Pop it when I'm lonely at the same start when 20s on their back like she g you on the homies.

[A]

Vince begins Glock 32 I shoot like both the Kobe's playing on both basketball shots and gunshots along with citing a specific model of a Glock 32 is what you get when you add the two jersey numbers Kobe Bryant wore 24 and 8, hence both Kobe's the basketball gun analogy continues. Pop it when I'm lonely with pop here referencing a gunshot and the nickname of Greg Popovich, legendary coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Thus we get the next line at the Sam's throwing 20s on her back like she Ginobili Sam's Hofbrau is a strip Club in LA, so Vince is describing throwing 20 bills while getting a lap dance. The 20s fall on her back the same place spurs player Manu Ginobili Wore the number 20 on his jersey. Adding a layer to the scheme is the fact that Kobe and Ginobili were on court rivals during the early 2000s, when both the Lakers and the Popovich led Spurs were the top teams in the Western Conference. Now, a few years after Vince Staples Kobe flip another LA native, Kendrick Lamar, paid tribute to Kobe with incredibly nuanced wordplay in 2024's Peekaboo.

[B]

Peekaboo I just put them bookers in my chain pickleball 80 pointers like a Kobe game pickleball seven six two S I make them plain Pickleball popping out.

[A]

Shooting Kendrick begins with a reference to his diamond chain or necklace. A pointer refers to 100th of a carat, so 80 pointers is first a nod to the 80 carat diamonds that comprise Kendrick's chain. But it also doubles as a reference to Kobe Bryant's famous 81 point game against the Toronto Raptors, Drake's hometown team. Released in the aftermath of Kendrick and Drake's historic battle, this line likens Kendrick's defeat of Drake to Kobe's 81 point domination of the Raptors. Indeed. Like Kobe, Kendrick kills his competition, hence the next line referring to 7.62s, the standard ammunition in an AK47. However, 762 also doubles as an incredibly clever extension of Kobe's 81 point game, because if you check his full stat line for that game, you'll find that Kobe logged exactly seven threes, six assists and two rebounds. 762 now this type of elite lyrical layering can also be found in J. Cole's 2021 track the Climb Back, where Cole packs six bars with so many references and entendres you might not even catch the tribute to Kobe Bryant to.

[B]

The left of that decimal I need seven figures to play the joint Turn up your decibels Pea pie decimator joint Check out my projects like them workers that section 8 of points and you'll see how I flip like exclamation points My niggas shoot first as if they never played the point more two guards enough straps to fill for you hawks.

[A]

More than jcol begins to the left of that decimal I need 7 figures to play the joint 7 figures to the left of the decimal means a million dollars, Cole's asking price to perform. He continues, turn up your decibels Peep how I decimate a joint which is a call to listen closely as Cole lyrically destroys the track. This flows into the next line. Check out my projects like them workers that Section 8 appoints. Cole here compares social workers checking on Section 8 housing projects with his audience checking out his musical projects and Cole says when you do that you'll see how I flipped like exclamation points. Flipped here refers to Cole flipping musical samples, a nod to his self produced projects, flipping out lyrically like he is on this track and literally flipping a lowercase I into an exclamation point. Cole then begins a basketball analogy, rapping my N words shoot first as if they never played the point more two guards. He contrasts a point guard, the pass first position that orchestrates a team with the score. First position two guard, also known as a shooting guard. The play here is that Cole's friends are quick to shoot a gun. This gives way to the line enough straps to fill 4U hauls. On the surface, it's a claim that Cole's shooters have enough weapons to fill multiple moving trucks with straps or guns. But the Phil4 and Phil4U hauls is a homophone for Phil Ford, the American basketball player who played for the Tar Heels in J. Cole's home state of North Carolina. Fittingly, Phil Ford was a point guard. Now, looking back at this entire sequence, we can see that four out of the six lines include a number. There's seven figures, section 8, 2 guards, and 4U hauls. And this is where things get really good. Working backwards, we find that if we combine the two and four in the basketball analogy, we get 24, the number Kobe Bryant wore in the second half of his career. Just six months prior to this song's release, Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash, so the nod here feels like an appropriate homage. And of course, Kobe was a shooting guard, tying perfectly into the line's two guard motif. This revelation clues us into the meaning behind the eight in section eight, as Kobe wore the number eight in the first half of his career. And when we combine the 8 with the 7 decimals from the opening line, we get 78, a nod to the year Kobe Bryant was born, 1978. Amazingly, in this six line passage, Cole incorporates four numbers that symbolize Kobe's birth year, both jersey numbers he wore, and the position he played. Now, as you probably noticed, we have reached extremely elite levels of numeric wordplay, which is something that we'll sustain in the final two examples I have for you today. The first is found in the arena of battle rap. Specifically, it's Mike P's third round in his 2022 battle against Sharon. And if you're just listening to the podcast right now, I suggest watching this next segment if you're able to. 130 is all I need.

[B]

I beat you every round and it's up, you done, we back popping if not I'll take 1, 21 I lose then I rush. Well Italians know how to dump shells. You could rematch a shoddy Sharon. I'm a bad boy with 112. Battle rap to the tee, Mike P.

[A]

Starts acknowledging how much total time he has in this round. 1 minute and 30 seconds. Then as the clock counts down, he sinks multiple punchlines to the time left on the clock. For example, he raps, italians know how to dump shells. You could rematch a shotty chiron but I'm a bad boy with 112 dumb shells is a double for Italian pasta shells and shotgun shells. While Ashotti references a shotgun but is also a homophone for Ashanti, a singer once signed to Diddy's Bad Boy records. This leads to I'm a bad boy with 112, where 112 is a triple entendre. First, it refers to a 12 gauge shotgun. Second, 112 was also a group signed to Diddy's Bad Boy Records. Finally, Mike executes this line precisely when the clock strikes 1 minute and 12 seconds. Mike P sinks 14 punchlines like this throughout the round, which obviously takes both incredible writing and flawless execution. One of the more impressive stretches comes at the 52nd mark, where he sinks four punch lines in the span of seven seconds.

[B]

Smack sent you 6700 like 50 cents son. I've been all live sparks fly, you'll be in hell with a 4, 5. I greet him well with a Glock slanted well that's an awkward 40. Steve Care slide with a 38.

[A]

Now my final example in today's episode is what I believe to be the holy grail of numerical wordplay and rap lyrics. Kendrick Amar's feature verse on Pusha T's 2013 track Nostalgia. The song's title is a portmanteau of the words nose and nostalgia, which succinctly captures the song's central theme, how the nostalgia of Pusha Ts and Kendrick's childhoods are inseparable from their memories of cocaine. For Push, it was dealing, and for Kendrick it was witnessing his father dealing.

[B]

Niggas don't pay attention and when there's tension in the air.

[A]

Kendrick begins citing quantum physics, the science that explains the behavior of matter and energy using highly complex mathematics. We should therefore expect Kendrick's equation to be highly complex too, as he follows this with a sequence of lines. Using the numbers 9 and 10, he raps when I was 10 back when 9 ounces had got you 10 and 9 times out of 10 n words don't pay attention and when there's tension in the air Nines come with extensions. Kendrick here uses exactly three nines and six tens. Three nines equals 27 and six tens equals 60. Add 27 and 60 together and we get 87. Why 87? Well, he reveals why directly in the verse. In a song about childhood and nostalgia, it's only fitting that Kendrick shouts out his birth year. And this seems to be the reason why Kendrick specifically chose nines and tens. Because 9 and 10 equals 19, which when combined with the sum of the numbers we just calculated, remarkably completes the birth year in full 1987. With this connection, Kendrickus perhaps reached an algebraic level of mathematics, but he claimed quantum physics. So let's keep digging, because look again at the precise number of nines and tens he used to 3 nines and 6 tens, 3 and 6 or 36. Why is this significant? Again, Kendrick pretty much tells us in.

[B]

The verse, I said daddy one day I'm gonna get you right with 36 sips, 1,000 grams of cocaine. Then your name will be Rich Young.

[A]

Kendrick claimed that he'll one day become his father's drug supplier, claiming that he'll provide him 36 zips, or 36 ounces of cocaine, the equivalent to a brick or kilo. And so, by using three nines and six tens, Kendrick found a set of numbers that contains his full birth year and an allusion to a brick of cocaine. We have now reached an advanced calculus level of mathematics. But let's go even deeper. 36 was also the age of Pusha T at the time of this song's release, and it's clear that Push and his creative team understood this numerical relationship between his age and a brick of cocaine. The album's minimal cover art features a black barcode with a sequence of numbers beneath it. There's 12 numbers in total, and if you add these numbers up, you get 36. Along with a nod to Push's age. The implication is that the album itself is a brick packaged and sold by a dope rhyme dealer. Wow. Okay, so 36 also connects to Pusha T himself too. But this is just the beginning of this connection, because let's take a look at Nostalgia's overall structure. The song is 3 minutes and 36 seconds long. Catch that? 3 minutes and 36 seconds. Structurally, the song contains no hook. Rather, it's divided into two halves, with the first half containing Push's verse and the second half containing Kendrick's verse. And the thing is, the song's two halves are exactly the same length. Kendrick enters the song exactly halfway through the track to the second.

[B]

You want to see a dead body? Instrumentals from My Mama's Christmas Party.

[A]

Okay, so the song is divided perfectly in half. Why is this significant? Well, if you count the measures or bars in each half, you realize that Pusha's half of the song contains exactly 36 bars, which means Kendrick's half of the song also contains exactly 36 bars. The same number of ounces equivalent to a kilo of cocaine. Literally every verse is a brick.

[B]

He said, well, nigga, then show me how it all makes sense. Go figure. Every verse is a brick. Your son, dope.

[A]

After checking the figures like Kendrick asked us to, we now fully understand the monumental impact of this closing punchline, elevating his verse to quantum physics levels of complexity. For my money, it's the most impressive entry in hip hop's long and storied tradition of using numbers in rhyme.